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Talk some sense into me - 318is - S/C or m50?

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    #16
    Since i spend almost 8 Grand on a M52TU swap (and many tools) i can tell that there is an option on the M54B30 swap withouth EWS and Drive by wire, but it still will cost alot.
    I'd have rather bought the 318is with chromed engine, chromed pulleys, chromed MAF than to undergo the whole swapping process and spending all that money for that 210 HP 6 Zylinder.

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      #17
      This thread is making me re-think swapping my most recent find for just north of $3k. Guess I will shine her up, fix the seat, update suspension and drive her around.

      1991 318is
      2004 330ci
      2011 335d

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        #18
        Do not swap the 318is. They're getting to be semi rare.

        If you want a faster car, a DASC supercharger kit might be worth investigating. It's a well made kit, with modest boost levels, so reliability isn't really diminished.

        An M50 swap is a waste of time. Hardly any faster than an M20, and a lot of work to do it correctly.

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          #19
          I was tempted to get a DASC last month. Only $4k and came with it's own 1996 Z3 attached. Installing a DASC will only net you m20 power levels. Can't justify it when those hard earned dollars can go towards an Evora or the new 8 series.

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            #20
            If only the M42 wasn't such a poor candidate for making more power NA. I don't think I've ever seen someone manage to even come close to 100hp/L with an NA M42 build. It's expensive, just a set of cams costs $1,000, then you have to upgrade the valvetrain to rev higher. Yes it will hit 7,500rpm stock but it isn't happy there. That $4k DASC Z3 sounds like a deal when you think about how much you'd spend to make an NA M42 make 140whp let alone the 180whp you'll get out of a DASC kit. A true german econobox engine, the original buyer of your 318is bought a BMW and got the kind of power an integra was making.
            Last edited by varg; 11-17-2018, 07:43 AM.

            IG @turbovarg
            '91 318is, M20 turbo
            [CoTM: 4-18]
            '94 525iT slicktop, M50B30 + S362SX-E, 600WHP DD or bust
            - updated 1-26

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              #21
              As has been said, you'd be a fool to swap a clean, original survivor. The 318is is such a well-balanced car and in my opinion the most fun to drive of all the e30s. It'd be a shame to see yet another one swapped. Go find some tired 6 cylinder model to make a project out of.
              My Feedback

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                #22
                Alright guys, you’ve convinced me. After finally grabbing a carfax, aside from some weird mileage/odometer oddities over the years and a good chunk of failed smogs the history is spotless so I agree with a lot of you it’d be a waste to swap it.

                I’ll spend most of my time getting it into tip-top shape as I’ve already completed most of the suspension work (Bilstein sports/H&r race, full Garagistic 80a poly bushings) and enjoy it how it was meant to be.

                Thanks for the opinions and reinvigorating how special a 318is is to me.
                91 318iS - aluminum M52B28 + ZF320 + 3.15 Torsen

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                  #23
                  Originally posted by varg View Post
                  If only the M42 wasn't such a poor candidate for making more power NA. I don't think I've ever seen someone manage to even come close to 100hp/L with an NA M42 build. It's expensive, just a set of cams costs $1,000, then you have to upgrade the valvetrain to rev higher. Yes it will hit 7,500rpm stock but it isn't happy there. That $4k DASC Z3 sounds like a deal when you think about how much you'd spend to make an NA M42 make 140whp let alone the 180whp you'll get out of a DASC kit. A true german econobox engine, the original buyer of your 318is bought a BMW and got the kind of power an integra was making.
                  There’s a guy on the M42 / M44 Facebook group that just posted a stroker build with dyno to prove 257bhp NA. Obviously not cheap, but I think the motor has more potential than a lot of people think.
                  91 318iS - aluminum M52B28 + ZF320 + 3.15 Torsen

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                    #24
                    Originally posted by fastestbox View Post
                    There’s a guy on the M42 / M44 Facebook group that just posted a stroker build with dyno to prove 257bhp NA. Obviously not cheap, but I think the motor has more potential than a lot of people think.
                    Bologna, like a speed camera that says you did 172 MPH in a 25 on a moped, you need to see the calibration records.

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                      #25
                      Originally posted by fastestbox View Post
                      There’s a guy on the M42 / M44 Facebook group that just posted a stroker build with dyno to prove 257bhp NA. Obviously not cheap, but I think the motor has more potential than a lot of people think.
                      I don't do facebook, got any links to it from outside of facebook? Will still be skeptical because of how dynos can be, but sounds interesting.

                      The only way I can see that happening is with extensive head work, giant cams, high compression, and over 2L of displacement, and even then on race gas only. If it has truly been one, that's impressive, but I have to wonder just how much that cost and why one wouldn't just go with one of the myriad superior 4 cylinder engines that exist. If I wanted to stay with a DOHC NA I4 I'd go with a Honda engine most likely. Better starting point.

                      Originally posted by E30 Wagen View Post
                      As has been said, you'd be a fool to swap a clean, original survivor. The 318is is such a well-balanced car and in my opinion the most fun to drive of all the e30s. It'd be a shame to see yet another one swapped. Go find some tired 6 cylinder model to make a project out of.
                      I understand this opinion, and in this market, somewhat agree with it. Had I come across any 6 cylinder E30s that weren't filled with rust, I never would've swapped one of those survivor 318s. But this car was in acceptable shape, and I was willing to turbo the M42, so here we are. Never cared in the slightest about resale value, I'm a college student who was and still is on a small budget looking to enjoy a cheap car. Who knows what the future holds for it.
                      Last edited by varg; 11-17-2018, 05:21 PM.

                      IG @turbovarg
                      '91 318is, M20 turbo
                      [CoTM: 4-18]
                      '94 525iT slicktop, M50B30 + S362SX-E, 600WHP DD or bust
                      - updated 1-26

                      Comment


                        #26
                        Originally posted by roguetoaster View Post
                        Bologna, like a speed camera that says you did 172 MPH in a 25 on a moped, you need to see the calibration records.

                        S42 made more power than that, with only 2 liters.

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                          #27
                          Originally posted by earthwormjim View Post
                          S42 made more power than that, with only 2 liters.
                          An S42 cylinder head doesn't share a single part with an M42 cylinder head. The S42 itself probably doesn't share a single part aside from the block. It doesn't really speak for the M42 on any level.

                          IG @turbovarg
                          '91 318is, M20 turbo
                          [CoTM: 4-18]
                          '94 525iT slicktop, M50B30 + S362SX-E, 600WHP DD or bust
                          - updated 1-26

                          Comment


                            #28
                            Originally posted by varg View Post
                            I understand this opinion, and in this market, somewhat agree with it. Had I come across any 6 cylinder E30s that weren't filled with rust, I never would've swapped one of those survivor 318s. But this car was in acceptable shape, and I was willing to turbo the M42, so here we are. Never cared in the slightest about resale value, I'm a college student who was and still is on a small budget looking to enjoy a cheap car. Who knows what the future holds for it.
                            Was I even talking to you?
                            My Feedback

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                              #29
                              Originally posted by E30 Wagen View Post
                              Was I even talking to you?
                              Does it matter? This is a forum, a place where people converse. It's a thing that happens on the internet and off of it.

                              IG @turbovarg
                              '91 318is, M20 turbo
                              [CoTM: 4-18]
                              '94 525iT slicktop, M50B30 + S362SX-E, 600WHP DD or bust
                              - updated 1-26

                              Comment


                                #30
                                Originally posted by earthwormjim View Post
                                S42 made more power than that, with only 2 liters.
                                Well, the power numbers we get are probably maximum sort of qualification figures (if allowed per series rules), and while 315HP (max quoted gen 3 S42) from a 2.0L is very impressive we all know it's not likely to be sustainable or sensible for any mere mortal to build.

                                The main point of what I wrote earlier was to generally call BS on quoted figures. 257 is really a stretch, whereas if 220 had been the number I wouldn't have thought too much of it.

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